Coupling method and device for animal mountable electronic package

ABSTRACT

A coupling method and device for an animal mountable electronic package is disclosed which is particularly useful for antenna implementation. A conductor is passed through a magnetic core having a coil wound thereon so that a magnetic path circuit is established to thereby cause a transformer action to be provided between electronic currents flowing in the coil and conductor, this magnetic path circuit, when established, being the coupling mechanism between coil and conductor. The conductor can be of any appropriate length to form a loop, dipole, monopole, or other type of antenna element. If the conductor ends are fastened together to form a closed loop (whether electrically closed or not), this resulting loop can be conveniently utilized for attaching the electronic package to an animal, such as, for example, by placing the loop around the animal&#39;&#39;s neck, and when so utilized the loop is received within the core so that the electronic package is movable with respect to the loop antenna. A tube is also preferably provided to receive the conductor therein and reduce wear and breakage.

e States Patent [1 1 olson Dec. 3, 1974 [76] Inventor: Jerry H. Polson, 7823 Greenbriar Cir., Denver County, Colo. 80301 22 Filed: Mar. 12, 1973 21 Appl. No.: 340,567

Primary Examiner-James W. Lawrence- Assistant ExaminerT. N. Grigsby Attorney, Agent, or FirmBurton, Crandell & Polumbus [57] ABSTRACT A coupling method and device for an animal mountable electronic package is disclosed which is particularly useful for antenna implementation. A conductor is passed through a magnetic core having a coil wound thereon so that a magnetic path circuit is established to thereby cause a transformer action to be provided between electronic currents flowing in the coil and conductor, this magnetic path circuit, when established, being the coupling mechanism between coil and conductor. The conductor can be of any appropriate length to form a loop, dipole, monopole, or other type of antenna element. 1f the conductor ends are fastened together to form a closed loop (whether electrically closed or not), this resulting loop can be conveniently utilized for attaching the electronic package to an animal, such as, for example, by placing the loop around the animals neck, and when so utilized the loop is received within the core so that the electronic package is movable with respect to the loop antenna. A tube is also preferably provided to receive the conductor therein and reduce wear and breakage.

3 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures COUPLING METHOD AND DEVICE FOR ANIMAL MOUNTABLE ELECTRONIC PACKAGE FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an electronic coupling system and method and, more particularly, relates to such a system and method utilized to implement an antenna arrangement for animal mountable electronic packages.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION With the application of electronic systems to animal monitoring and control, the problem of attachment of such systems to the animals has been created, particularly where such systems utilize an antenna as a part of the system, as may be the case, for example, in animal mounted radio telemetry systems and animal identification and feeder systems. These types of systems require that wireless communication link be established between the animal and some fixed installation, and this communication is normally accomplished by either radio frequency transmission or inductive coupling. In either case, the animal mounted electronic package must be electrically coupled to an antenna or induction loop which must be carried by the animal.

The two most commonly used types of antenna are the whip type and the loop type, the latter of which is usually neck mounted. Whip type antennas are only practical, however, where they are very small in size, can be hidden inside of a housing of some sort, or can be carried by animals that are constrained in movement to the extent necessary to prevent antenna breakage. Thus, it can be readily appreciated that the more desirable type antenna from a practical standpoint is, most often, the loop type antenna.

To date, the two most often utilized loop techniques have been to either build a single piece, solid, permanently encapsulated antenna loop and electronic package combination, or to use a flexible two-piece loop having each piece permanently fastened to the electronic package at one end and the other ends adapted to be clamped together to thus form an adjustable loop size to fit various animal neck sizes. Such techniques obviously simplified coupling of the antenna to the electronic package, but created other problems.

One of the problems with the first technique mentioned hereinabove is that many separate electronicantenna combination packages had to be available in various sizes to insure one being available of the proper size for the particular animal being instrumented, which proved to be costly and/or impractical.

The second technique, mentioned hereinabove, that is, the provision of an adjustable loop to fit any animal, proved to cause a problem, since the ends of the loop fastened to the electronic package were found to be susceptible to wear and breakage (both of the loop it-- self and to the electronics package fixed to the ends of the antenna).

Thus, while various types of devices have heretofore been suggested and/or utilized for use in implementing antenna coupling to electronic packages, such devices have not been completely satisfactory in providing a practical device that is usable in a variety of situations and yet is not vulnerable from a breakage standpoint. Moreover, at least some prior art devices proved to be costly since replacement in their entirety was necessary although only a portion was broken, this being particularly noticeable where the broken portion was either the loop antenna or due to the electronic package being fixed to an end of the loop antenna.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION The subject matter of this invention provides a method and device for implementing coupling of an antenna to electronic packaging that is particularly useful in animal mountable applications. A magnetic path circuit is established for providing transformer action between a conductor and a coil to enable the conductor to be movable with respect to the coil. Thus, the electronic package, when mounted on an animal, is free to move along the conductor that is utilized both as an antenna and to mount the package to the animal to thus reduce vulnerability to breakage and to enable rapid and less costly replacement of the antenna if replacement be found necessary or desirable.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved coupling device and method for implementing coupling of an antenna to an electronic package.

It is another object of this invention to provide a coupling device that is particularly well suited for use with an animal mountable electronic package.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide an improved coupling device and method that includes establishing a magnetic path circuit to thereby establish a transformer action between a conductor and coil.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a coupling device that enables relative movement between the antenna and electronic package.

It is another object of this invention to provide a device for coupling an antenna to an electronic package whereby when mounted on an animal said electronic package is movable with respect to said antenna to reduce vulnerability to breakage and to reduce wear.

It is still another object of this invention to provide an improved coupling device having readily replaceable portions.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide an improved coupling device for use in an animal mountable system including an antenna and electronic package that enables said antenna if broken to be quickly replaced.

With these and other objects in view which will become apparent to one skilled in the art as the description proceeds, this invention resides in the novel combination, construction and arrangement of parts as set forth hereinafter, it being appreciated that the invention is not meant to be limited to the precise embodiment as shown herein but is meant to be as broadly construed asv comes within the scope of the claims set forth hereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagram in perspective view illustrating the relationship between certain parts of the coupling device of this invention;

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of an electronic package and antenna utilizing the coupling device of this invention, with said antenna being adapted to be utilized as a loop antenna and positioning device;

FIG. 3 shows use of the device of this invention with an animal mountable electronic package;

FIG. 4 is a side sectional view taken through lines 4-4 of the electronic package including the coupling device of this invention; and

FIG. 5 is a partial end view of the device of this invention with portions dotted in to better illustrate the device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, a conductor 9 (which may be a wire or cable, for example) is shown in FIG. 1. As brought out more fully hereinafter, conductor 9 serves as an antenna and may also be utilized as a mounting means. As best shown in FIG. 1, conductor 9 extends through a tube, or bushing, 10, which tube may be made of nylon or metal, for example, having an internal diameter larger than the diameter of conductor 9 so as to receive the conductor therein to allow the conductor to move freely therein in either axial direction and also to allow the tube to rotate freely about conductor 9. Tube 10 performs two primary functions, namely, serving as a means to facilitate assembly of the electronics package and serving as protection between elements due to relative movement between conductor 9 and the rest of the assembly.

Tube 10 is received within a magnetic core 11 to form a closed magnetic field path around tube 10 and conductor 9. Magnetic core 11 can, for example, be a ferrite torroid core, a c-core, or any other type of core which can form a closed magnetic path around the antenna conductor 9 and tube 10.

A coil of wire 12 is wrapped about a portion of magnetic core 11 to establish inductively coupled transformer action so that AC signals applied to either core 12 or antenna conductor 9 will induce a corresponding signal to be produced in the other. The number of turns of wire forming coil 12 is selected so that the desired voltage or current transformation ratio is established between the coil and the antenna conductor signals, as is well known in the art.

This invention thus provides an arrangement of antenna conductor 9 and the signal coupling elements 11 and 12 to form a type of current transformer (i.e., where a single effective turn exists on one of the transformer windings).

If a relatively low frequency AC signal (i.e., one whose wavelength is much longer than the length of antenna conductor 9) is impressed on coil 12, it will induce a signal on antenna conductor 9 if antenna conductor 9 is formed into an electrically closed loop (as indicated in FIG. 2). If on the other hand a relatively high frequency AC signal (i.e., one whose wavelength is about the length of antenna conductor 9) is impressed on coil 12, it will induce a signal on antenna conductor 9 even if the ends of the conductor are not formed into an electrically closed loop.

Thus, the coupling device of this invention as illustrated in FIG. 1 provides electrical coupling of a signal from a separate antenna conductor 9 to electronic circuitry connected to coil 12 and, in addition, provides, by means of tube 10, a means for mounting the assembly into a package and for preventing the antenna conductor 9 from causing wear on the signal coupling elements 11 and 12.

The coupling device of this invention, as shown in FIG. 1, thus has the distinct advantage of allowing free movement of tube 10 and coupling elements 11 and I2 in either axial direction and along antenna conductor 9 as well as providing free rotational movement therebetween, yet maintaining signal coupling between the two. Since this is the case, antenna conductor 9 can be made from a very strong material such as steel cable or the like, if desired, so that conductor 9 can withstand large forces and can therefore be advantageously used to fasten an electronic package to an animal and thereby reduce vulnerability to breakage. Since there is no break in the antenna cable, the full cable strength is preserved.

As shown in FIG. 2, the coupling device of this invention may be enclosed in an electronic package 14 which may include a lower casing portion 15 and an upper casing portion 16. As shown in FIG. 3, the electronic package 14 thus formed may be animal mountable by fastening the conductor 9 about the neck of an animal 18 (such as a cow, for example), with the ends of the conductor 9 being secured together by means of a conventional clamp 19. The loop thus formed is, of course, sized to loosely retain the device about the neck of the animal but tight enough to insure that the loop cannot be slipped over the head of the animal.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate electronic package 14 in more detail. As shown in FIG. 4, a mounting base 22 (which is preferably a printed circuit board) has secured thereto in conventional fashion a pair of clamps 23 and 24 which firmly attach tube 10 to the mounting board 22, again in conventional fashion, with sufficient clearance for signal coupling elements 11 and 12 to fit between tube 10 and the mounting board. In addition, the ends of coil 12 are fastened, at points 25, to conventional conductors, such as circuit board strips (not shown), leading to other elements of the electronic package as are necessary or desirable. As shown in FIG. 4, mounting board 22 rests on a plurality of shelves (indicated as shelves 26 and 27 in FIG. 4) formed in the opposite ends of lower casing portion 15.

When mounting base 22 is positioned within lower casing portion 15, tube 10 fastened thereto is aligned with openings 28 and 29 at opposite ends of the electronic package, tube 10 being received in recessed semicircular shoulder areas 31 and 32 of the lower casing portion 15. When the upper casing portion 16 with similar semi-circular shoulder areas 33 and 34 are mated to the shoulder areas 31 and 32, respectively, of lower casing portion 15, tube 10 is effectively clamped into position between the two casing portions and aligned with openings 28 and 29 at the two ends of the electronic package. If desired, an adhesive 35, 36, 37 and 38 may be placed at each shoulder area 31, 32, 33 and 34, respectively, between tube 10 and each shoulder area to insure a good seal for moisture and for added physical strength. Also, if desired, the electronic package 14 can be completely sealed for added moisture protection, and encapsulated with potting material if necessary, or desirable, to thus form a very strong, impervious electronic package with a movable and removable antenna conductor 9. Electronic package 14 may have upper and lower casing portions 15 and 16 formed of any suitable material such as a plastic material, for example.

While not shown in detail, it is to be appreciated that the ends of coil 12 are connected with electronic circuitry as may be necessary for a particular application, such as being connected to components 39 and 40 (which serve as illustrations only) on the mounting board 22 as shown in FIG. 4. Thus, coil 12 could be connected with conventional transmitter and/or receiver circuitry, for example, or be connected with a transponder such as is shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,541,995, which may be referred to for more detailed explanation of such circuitry which can be coupled to an antenna to accomplish a desired end result. In any event, this invention provides for signal coupling between electronic circuitry and an antenna conductor by establishing a magnetic circuit path so that the electronic circuitry and antenna conductor remain movable and removable relative to one another.

In operation, the antenna conductor 9 is inserted through tube 10 and may be left electrically insulated in various configurations to form a particular predetermined type of antenna, such as a folded dipole, a monopole, or a loop, for example. lf animal neck mounted, the ends of the conductor 9 are clamped with the resulting loop around the neck of the animal. This device is then operational and signal coupling can occur between an antenna and the coil connected to the electronic package whenever either is excited by AC signals of preselected frequency as determined by the associated circuitry utilized. Since the conductor is of one piece, and since the electronic circuitry can be moved relative thereto, vulnerability to breakage and wear is reduced.

From the foregoing, it can be seen that the device and method of this invention provides a heretofore unavailable coupling device that is well suited for use in animal mountable systems.

What is claimed is:

1. An animal mountable device having low vulnerability to breakage, said device comprising: a tube; a conductor extending through said tube and being freely movable relative thereto; a magnetic core fastened around said tube; a coil fastened to a portion of said magnetic core to establish coupling capability between said coil and said conductor, said coil being connected with predetermined electronic circuitry; and means to fasten the ends of said conductor together to form a loop antenna about a predetermined portion of an animal, said conductor supporting said tube having said core fastened thereto so that said tube is freely movable along said conductor without adversely affecting signal coupling between said conductor and coil.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said device includes a casing for packaging said tube, magnetic core, coil and electronic circuitry whereby said conductor extends through said casing so that said casing is movable along said conductor.

3. A method for coupling signals between animal mounted electronic circuitry and an antenna, and for supporting said electronic circuitry on said animal, said method comprising: providing an antenna wrapped around a predetermined portion of an animal; providing a magnetic core through which said antenna extends so that said magnetic core is supported by said antenna but is freely movable relative thereto; maintaining spacing between said core and antenna so that wear is reduced as said core is moved along said antenna in axially opposite directions and rotated with respect thereto; and providing a coil wrapped about said core so that a magnetic circuit path is established between said antenna and said core despite movement of said core with respect to said antenna. 

1. An animal mountable device having low vulnerability to breakage, said device comprising: a tube; a conductor extending through said tube and being freely movable relative thereto; a magnetic core fastened around said tube; a coil fastened to a portion of said magnetic core to establish coupling capability between said coil and said conductor, said coil being connected with predetermined electronic circuitry; and means to fasten the ends of said conductor together to form a loop antenna about a predetermined portion of an animal, said conductor supporting said tube having said core fastened thereto so that said tube is freely movable along said conductor without adversely affecting signal coupling between said conductor and coil.
 2. The device of claim 1 wherein said device includes a casing for packaging said tube, magnetic core, coil and electronic circuitry whereby said conductor extends through said casing so that said casing is movable along said conductor.
 3. A method for coupling signals between animal mounted electronic circuitry and an antenna, and for supporting said electronic circuitry on said animal, said method comprising: providing an antenna wrapped around a predetermined portion of an animal; providing a magnetic core through which said antenna extends so that said magnetic core is supported by said antenna but is freely movable relative thereto; maintaining spacing between said core and antenna so that wear is reduced as said core is moved along said antenna in axially opposite directions and rotated with respect thereto; and providing a coil wrapped about said core so that a magnetic circuit path is established between said antenna and said core despite movement of said core with respect to said antenna. 